Sprinkler system



H. Z. LANDON.

Patented Nov. 23, 1920.

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Inventor. Horace Z. Landon AT Tys.

UNITED STATTLS PATENT-OFFICE.

HORACE z. LANDON, or nnoonmnn, ivrassnonnsnTrs, As'sreno'n To ROCKWOOID SPRINKLER company or MASSAGHU'SETTS, or wono'nsrnn, MASSACHUSETTS,

A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

srnr'nktnn sYsTEM.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented NO 23, 192( Application filed March 20, 1920. Serial No. 367,505,

To (ZZZ to 720m it may concern Be it known that 1, Houses Z. Lennon, a citizen of the United States, residing at Brookline, county of Norfolk, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Sprinkler Systems, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawing, is a. specification, like characters on the drawing representing like parts.

This invention relates to automatic sprinkler systems and particularly to the apparatus associated with the valve that opens automatically when a sprinkler head gives way to permit water to flow from the supply main to the sprinkler pipes.

In some sprinkler systems the valve apparatus has associated therewith a chamber which becomes filled with water at certain times during the operation of the system and which is provided with a drip valve or drip opening for the purpose of draining the chamber. Merely as illustrating a chamber of this type, I would refer to the so-called retarding chamber which is employed in some types of wetpipe sprinkler systems and which is so connected to the valve mechanism that when the valve trips and water flows therethrough the chamber will become filled with water, and when so filled, the water will flow from the chamber to a water motor for operating an alarm. Such retarding chamber is generally provided with a drip outlet to permit the water to drain out of the chamberafter the valve has been seated again, and to prevent the drip from making an undesirable wet spot on the floor, or in the vicinity of the valve apparatus, it is customary to provide a dripcup situated to receive the drip from the drip outlet, which drip cup is connected by a drip pipe to a drainpipe'. The drip pipe usually has a'check-valve therein which per mits water to drain out from the drip cup into the drain pipe and which is intended to close automatically when water flows through the drain pipe from a source other than the drip cup, thereby to prevent said water from backing up in the drip pipe and overflowing the drip cup.

lit is also common practice to provide the valve mechanism of an automatic sprinkler system with means by which the sprinkler system may be drained, or by which aso to be tested to determine if the water is fiowing properly in the supply main, and this test is made by opening the drain valve or flow test valve to see if water will flow from the supply main through the flow test connection to the drain pipe without producing undue loss oi? pressure in the supply main.

When the flow test is being made, the water will flow through the flow test connection to the drain pipe, thus creating a pressure in the drain pipe which will close the check valve in the drip pipe leading from the drip cup, and so long as this check-valve is closed any water which may pass into the drip cup will be prevented from draining out therefrom.

The conducting of the flow test results in unseating the alarm valve thereby produc ing a full flow of water into and through the retarding chamber, and as long as there is water in said retarding chamber a discharge will occur through the drip opening into the drip cup.

Under such conditions it; frequently hap; pens that the drip cup beoomes tulland overflows because the closed check-valve in the drip pipe prevents the drip cup from draining into the drip pipe, and the overflow of the drip cup produces an undesirable wet spot in the vicinity of the valve. I

Then again it sometimes happens that the checlnvalve inthe drip pipe becomes leaky by reason of sediment or foreign matter becoming lodged under the clapper, and it this condition should arise then whenever water is flowing through the drain pipe itwill back up in the drip pipe and leak through the check valve in sufficient quantity to cause the drip cup to overflow, especially if the drain pipe leads to a soil pipe which is at a higher level than the-- drip cup.

It is one of the objects of my present invention to provide a novel construction and arrangement by wh ch the operation of miking the flow test will create a suction irrthe flow of water through the flow test connec-" tion or drain connection, either due to makmg the flow test or to draining the system,

will create a suction in the drip pipe that will prevent the water from backlng up therein and leaking through any defective check-valve, thus obviating the possibility oi. the drip cup overflowing from this cause In sprinkler systems of this type it is also common to provide an alarm or gong which is actuated by a water motor that is set in operation when the valve trips. The dis-- char e from the water motor is usually piped to the drain pipe so that the water which passes through the motor to operate the latter will be discharged into the crain pipe, and a check valve is usually provided in this discharge pipe connection to prevent the water in the drain pipe from backing up in said discharge connection.

My invention also contemplates a con struction by which whenever there is a flow of water through the drain pipe, either due to the operation of making a flow test or because the system is being drained, a suction or reduced pressure will be created in the discharge pipe leading from the water motor so that any water which passes through the motor will be positively drawn into the drain even though there is considerable pressure in the drain pipe and so that there will be no tendency for the water in the drain pipe to back up in the discharge pipe connection and leak through a defective check-valve therein. 7

In the case of dry pipe systems there is usually a drip cup employed whose function it is to carry off such water as may be present in the so-called neutral chamber, and this drip cup is usually connected to the main drain by means of a drip pipe having a check-valve therein to prevent water from backing up into the drip cup through the drip pipe. My invention when applied to this type of sprinkler system contemplates construction by which the flow of water through the drain pipe will create a suction of suificiently reduced pressure in the drip pipe to carry off any water which may drain into it, and to prevent water backing up therein and leaking through a defective check-valve. Therefore, as applied to both wet-pipe systems and dry-pipe systems, my invention provides means for preventing the overflow of the drip cup due to any cause, such as those above m ntioned. I accomplish these objects by providing a device at the junction of the drip pipe or the water motor connection with the d *ain pipe which is constructed so that as water flows through the drain pipe it will create a suction in the drip pipe, water motor connection or both, and while any suitable device capable oi producing this suction by the flow of water may be employed, 1 find that a suction T operates satisfactorily and is a practical oevice for this purpose.

My invention being applicable to sprinkler systems having either dry pipe valves or wet pipe valves, in order to give a proper under standing of the invention, 1 have illustrated it herein as it- :might be applied to each of the above mentioned systems.

Figure 1 is a view showing my invention as applied to a wet-pipe valve of an automatic sprinkler system; I

Fig. 2 is a view showing my invention applied to a dry-pipe valve; 7

Fig. 3 is a detail view showing a further application of the invention.

Inasmuch as the invention does not relate to the structural details of the valve itself, whether it be a dry pipe valve or a wet pipe valve, 1 have not thought it necessary to illustrate or describe in detail such valve.

Referring to Fig. 1, 1 indicates the supply pipe or water main through which water is delivered to the valve and sprinkler system, and 2 indicates the pipe leading from the valve to the sprinkler system. The wet pipe valve shown generally at 3, and it may be of any suitable or usual construction. The supply pipe or water main 1 is provided with the usual hand-operated gate valve d. The valve mechanism shown in Fig. 1 is of the type which is provided with a retardin chamber 5 that is normally empty, saic chamber being connected by means of pipes 6 to the valve structure in such a way that when the valve is tripped by the giving. away of a sprinkler head, or for any other reason, the water will flow through the connection 6 into the chamber 5 and fill the latter. lVhen this chamber is filled the water will flow therefrom through a pipe 7 to the water motor (not shown) by which the alarm or gong is actuated. The water from the water motor isvdelivered into a pipe 8. which leads to a drain pipe 9, said pipe 8 being provided with a check valve of any suitableconstruction indicated atlO. The chamber 5 is provided with a drip port 11 leading to a pipe 12, which empties into drip cup 13, said cup being connected to the drain9 by means of a drip pipe 1 1, which also has a suitable check valve therein, indicated at 15. One purpose of the chamber 5 is to prevent the water motor from operating the alarnrin case the controlling valve 3 is opened slightly due to water hammer. 1i water hammer occurs the main valve 3 is opened slightly to allow some water to pass.

This water will flow into the chamber 5 and will be gradually drained therefrom, but the alarm will not be operated unless the chamher 5 is filled with water, and the water then flows therefrom through the pipe 7 to the motor. Consequently there is apt to be more or less drip from the chamber 5 at all times, and under ordinary conditions this drip is received in the drip cup and drains into the drain pipe 9.

The valve 3 is provided with a so-called drain valve or flow-test connection in the form of a flow-test pipe 16, which is connected. to the valve at 17 and which leads to the drain pipe 9, said pipe having a valve 18 therein by which it may he opened and closed. This how test pipe is connected to the valve 3 on the discharge side of the valve seat, so that when the valve 18 is opened the water pressure on the sprinkler system side of the valve will be reduced, thus giving the same effect as if a sprinkler head had given away. The main valve 3 will therefore trip, and the chamber 5 will become filled with water. During the operation of the flow-test it is desirable that the drip from the chamber 5 should be taken care of, for otherwise the drip cup will overflow and an undesirable wet spot will be produced. l have provided tor this herein by employing a suction 'l' 19 at the point where the drip pipe l l connects with the drain. This suction may be of any suitable construction, and it is provided with the internal nozzle 26 through which the water from the pipe 16 passes and which is shaped so that the water issuing from the nozzle will create a suction in the space 21 around the nozzle. The drip pipe 1% is connected to this space 21 by means of the pipe connection 22, and, therefore, as a result the flow of water through the pipe 16 will create a suliicient suction in the pipe tive, and, therefore, my invention prevents the possibility of the drip cup overflowing by reason of a leaky check valve.

The pipe 16 also provides means by which the system may be drained, and to do this the main gate valve st is closed and then the valve 18 opened, thus allowing the water in the system to drain into the drain pipe. The draining of the system, will, therefore, cause a flow of water through the suction T which will produce the reduced pressure in the drip pipe 14, and thus prevent any possibility of the drip cup overflowing by reason of a leaky check valve.

The discharge pipe 8 from the water mo-- tor is also preferably connected to the drain pipe through a suction T so that whenever water flows into the drain pipe, either be cause the flow test is being conducted or be cause the system is being drained, a suction will be produced in the discharge pipe which will clear the latter of water delivered from the water motor. in the construction. shown, this discharge pipe connects to the suction "in" through the connection 22, and, therefore, when water flows through the suction 1' to the drain, a suction. or reduced pressure is produced in both the drip pipe 14: and discharge pipe 8.

ln Fig. 2 1 have shown the application oi my invention to a dry pipe system. In this construction the water main or inlet is indicated at 1, and the main controlling valve 23 is held to its seat by the air pressure in the system, as usual. The valve chamber is shown as provided with a drip opening 24:, which delivers the drip to a drip cup 25 that is connected by a drip pipe 26 to a drain pipe 27, said drip pipe having the usual check valve 28 therein. The llowtest pipe is shown at 29, and it leads to the drain pipe 27 and is provided with a valve 30,. by which it may be opened and closed. In this embodiment of the invention the drip pipe 26 is connected into the drain pipe through the medium of a suction T 19 provided with the nozzle 20, so that when the valve 30 is opened to conduct the flow-test the flow oil water through the nozzle 20 of the suction T will create a suction in the space 21 to which the drip pipe 26 is connected, and this suction will be sufiicient to open the check valve 28 and to insure the complete drainii'ig of the drip cup. Said suction will also be suflicient to prevent any leakage of water past the check valve in case the latter is defective or becomes clogged.

31 indicates a pipe leading from the water motor which is provided with a check valve 32 and also connects to the suction "i" so that the operation of conducting the flow-test will create a suction not only in the drip pipe 26, but also in the pipe 31.

and thus the positive draining 01"- both pipes While I have shown in the drawings a suction T for producing a desired suction in the drip pipe or water motor pipe, yet I do not wish to be limited necessarily to a suction T, as my invention contemplates any device or arrangement ott piping by which the flow of water through the drain pipe will produce the desired suction in the drip pipe or discharge pipe.

Although I have above described an apparatus in which the suction T or its equivalent is located in the drain pipe at the point where the drip pipe or the discharge pipe from the motor connect, yet I wish it understood that my invention also contemplates the possibility of placing, a suction T or its equivalent in any other location where it is desirable to prevent water flowing: through one pipe from backing up in a connecting pipe. For instance, in the normal operation of the valve mechanism shown in Fig. 1 when a sprinkler head gives way, the alarm valve is open and water flows into the retarding chamber 5 and thence to the water motor which actuates the alarm, and from the water motor the water is discharged through the pipe 8. So long as there is water in the chamber 5 there is also a discharge from the drip opening 11 into the drip cup13, and under these conditions, the pressure of the water passing through the discharge pipe 8 might kee the check valve 15 closed and thus prevent water from draining out oi the drip cup 13 which would be apt to overflow.

My invention contemplates the possibility of placing a. suction T or its equivalent at the point where the drip pipe i-i connects into the discharge pipe 8 so that the flow of the water through the discharge pipe will create suction in the drip pipe and keep the drip cup from runningover,

The above-suggested arrangement is illus trated in Fig. 3 wherein 33 indicates the suction T for keeping the drip pipe 14L clear.

I claim:

1. The combination with a sprinkler system valve mechanism of the type which includes a chamber that at times contains water and is provided with a drip opening to permit the water to drain therefrom, of a drain pipe, a drip cup to catch the drip from the drip opening, a drip pipe connecting said drip cup to the drain pipe, a flowtest connection leading to the drain pipe and means to cause a suction in the drip pipe when water is flowine through the flowtest connection whereby the drip cup will be positively drained while the flow-test is being made.

2. The combination with a sprinkler system valve mechanism of the type which includes a chamber that at times contains water and is provided with a drip opening to permit the water to drain out, of a drain pipe, a drip connection to catch the drip from the drip opening and deliver it to the drain pipe, a flow-test connection leading to the drain pipe, and a suction T at the junction of the drip connection with the drain pipe arranged so that water flowing through the flow-test connection to the drain pipe will create a suction in the drip connection.

The combination with a sprinkler system valve mechanism of the type that has associated therewith a chamber provided 1th a drip outlet, oil? a drain pipe by which the system may be drained, a drip cup to receive the drip from the drip outlet, a drip pipe connecting the drip cup to the drain, a check-valve in the drip pipe, and means to produce a suction in the drip pipe when the system is being drained suificient to prevent water from backing up therein and Lf-YRIflOVJiIlQ the drip cup in case the check -mive is defective.

4:. The combination with a sprinkler system valve mechanism oi the type having associated therewith a water motor for actuating an alarm when the valve trips, of a drain pipe, a flow-test connection leading to the drain. pipe and by which a flow-test can he made, a discharge pipe from the motor leading to the drain pipe, and means rendered operative by water flowing to the drain pipe to clear the clischar e pipe from water.

The combination with a sprinkler system valve mechanism of the type that has associated therewith a chamber provided with 7.- drip outlet, of a drain pipe by which the system may be drained, a drip cup to receive the drip from the drip outlet, a drip pipe connecting the drip cup to the drain, a check valve in the drip pipe, and a suction T at the junction of the drip pipe and drain pipe by which water flowing through the drain pipe will produce a suction in the drip pipe.

6. The combination with a sprinkler system vaive mechanism of the type having associated therewith a water motor for actuating an alarm when the valve trips, of a drain pipe, a flow-test connection leading to the drain pipe and by which a flow-test can be made, a discharge pipe from the motor leading to the drain pipe, and a suction T at the junction of the discharge pipe and drain pipe arranged so that water flowing through the drain pipe will produce a suction in the discharge pipe.

7. In a sprinkler system of the type having associated therewith a we; f motor for actuating an alarm when the automatic valve trips, of a drain pipe, and connections leading thereto by which the system may be drained, or a flow-test may be made, a discharge pipe from the motor leading to the dram pipe, and means to prevent an mcrease of pressure in the discharge pipe during the flow-test or draining of the system.

8. The combination with a sprinkler system valve mechanism of the type that has associated therewith a chamber provided with a drip outlet and a water motor for actuating an alarm when the valve trips, of a discharge pipe leading from the water motor, a drip cup to receive the discharge from said drip outlet, a drip pipe connecting said drip cup to the discharge pipe, and means operated by water flowing through the discharge pipe to create a suction in the drip pipe,

9. The combination With a sprinkler-system valve mechanism, and a drain pipe therefor, of a drip conduit arranged for receiving the drainings from a part of said system and discharging the same into the drain pipe, a chuck valve in the drip conduit opening toward the drain pipe for controlling the flow from the drip conduit, and means operated by the flow of Water in the drain pipe for causing said valve to remain open as long as the water flows in the normal direction in the drain pipe.

10. The combination with a sprinkler system valve mechanism and a drain pipe therefor, of a drip cup arranged to receive the drainings from a part of said system, a drip pipe connecting said drip cup to the drain pipe and means rendered operative by water flowing through the drain pipe to produce a suction in the drip pipe beneath the drip cup whereby the latter will be prevented from overflowing.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

HORACE Z. LANDON. 

